by Thomas Tunny, Hamilton
I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some of the actions taken by Donald Trump and his Republican supporters in Congress since his inauguration in January.
1. Medicaid…cutting almost $1 trillion from the Medicaid budget will jeopardize the health benefits of our most needy citizens and possibly lose our only hospital in Ravalli County!
2. SNAP… cutting $186 billion from this food assistance program (formerly “Food Stamps”) will put millions of our fellow citizens further into “food insecurity”. Are you one of them?
3. Tax breaks for the wealthy… as if they need it! Taking money from the bottom 10% of our population and giving it to the top 10%…for what purpose?
4. USAID… eliminating a worldwide health benefits program which cost a tiny fraction of our national budget but has done so much good for so many people over the last 50 years. Just mean-spirited! Why?
5. Firing Federal Workers… thousands upon thousands of federal worker’s jobs eliminated from the department of defense, the justice department, the state department, and our own local Rocky Mountain Lab and Forest Service, due to Elon Musk’s DOGE… all at the direction of Donald Trump! As the song goes,” You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”
6. Department of Education… elimination of the DOE, I predict, will lead to the “dumbing down” of America. There will be no enforcement of any standards once “private schools” are allowed to operate without any requirements or accountability. Linda McMahon, current secretary of education, does not know the difference between AI and A1 steak sauce!
7. Cutting school breakfast and lunch programs begun in 1946 by President Harry Truman… as a school superintendent in Pennsylvania recently said, “Schools need more resources and funding to cover the cost of providing these healthy meals. Any reduction in funding will have a negative impact on schools if you increase the cost of these programs at all.” Ravalli County schools rely on these breakfast and lunch programs…and Pres TACO just eliminated them!
8. Elimination of Inspector Generals from various departments… these “watchdogs” were responsible for making sure that funds were spent properly and within budgetary guidelines. Trump has eliminated these positions and put his own cronies in charge.
9. ICE… Immigration and Customs Enforcement. With the new “BBB” in place, ICE will become the largest law-enforcement agency in the country. Their sole mission is to capture and remove brown and black people whether they are legal immigrants or not and send them to far off countries for an undetermined length of time without any charges being pressed against them or any intercession by any court of law. ICE is picking people up off the street (they were spotted here in Ravalli County recently, so beware!), hauling them away without any notice to their families, and shipping them to far off countries like South Sudan, Eswatini (formally Swaziland), and El Salvador for an indeterminate amount of time with no recourse!
10. Gutting the funds for NPR/PBS and foreign aid… America has always been known for our generosity in helping other countries develop their social, cultural, and economic programs. Sure, some of the programs we have supported seem frivolous, but this program has always benefited the USA, both politically and morally. Cutting NPR/ PBS funds is another attempt by Trump to “dumb down” American citizens. The less news we receive about what is going on in the country, the less he will have to account for!
So, is this the country that we voted for? Is this the country that we want to be known for? Is this the country that we want to pass on to our children? Whether a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim, an Atheist or an Agnostic, we should be outraged by the actions of our President and his supporters in the House of Representatives and the Senate for ripping the soul out of America! Senators Daines and Sheehy, Representatives Zinke and Downing, and all the Republican members of Congress have sold their souls for one smile from President Trump!
You should be ashamed of yourselves!
Where does all this leave our country?
WMA says
This PF person must really hate Trump.
Kevin says
36 trillion in debt. I voted to cut spending and reduce our debt. ICE should be the largest Law Enforcement in our Country as millions of lawbreakers crossed under Joe. Food Stamps?? How much $$ are the illegal criminals getting?? DOE, complete failure, why not change a HUGE mistake? Tom you have just refreshed a lot of memories of why Trump is now President. Thank you.
WMA says
Kevin,
I hope you realize illegal immigrants pay almost $100 billion in taxes and get absolutely no benefits in return.
PF says
We don’t need (or want) any of their money. In just 6 months, Trump has brought in hundreds of billions with tariffs (not to mention the new Companies coming here) and these illegal and unwanted people are a scourge on our country. Anyone who is in support of keeping these criminals here is in-human, un-American and shameful. When will you finally stand up for OUR citizens and the nightmare these horrid people have caused? What’s the matter, afraid someone is going to take your slaves away?
WMA says
PF
Is it painful to be filled with such hatred?
PF says
Not at all. I hold all criminals in low regard, as they should be. Is it painful to be so filled with your liberal nonsense that you can’t stand in support of your fellow citizens?
Mike Miller says
LOL!
How ironic of you to ask that question, when you openly advocate your hate for Trump on these forums!
Gomez says
PF says. So you think that the Epstein case file should be released, right?
Kevin says
Can you hear me laughing?? wow
Bill Cavanaugh says
How do you pay taxes without a social security number? Illegals do not have social security numbers. Calling Bull on your statement as usual
WMA says
Bull right back at you, sir. Illegal immigrants pay sales tax every time they make a purchase. They pay property taxes every time they pay rent. And one is not, in fact, required to have a social security number to be subject to payroll tax deductions. The IRS will issue a TIN (tax identification number) regardless of residency status. But illegal immigrants get nothing in return. These all add up to nearly $100 billion in taxes.
SRK says
TIN’s are for corporations and LLC’s. Non-profits also get TIN numbers. But again, they are not people. They are an entity. Not individual people. Are you really trying to say that businesses are putting these people on the payroll and legit paying the taxes on the wages? It does not work that way as any business owner can tell you. The owner of the property pays taxes. Not all states have sales tax. If they get nothing in return, why are they here? (This is not a real question. We all know the answer).
Bill Cavanaugh says
They don’t pay social security, Medicaid, and for every government Freebie” they receive. Sales tax…. Tell me how I can get away with just paying sales tax. Your Delusional as usual
Tracy says
Reactionary or even more way over the top and exaggerated and some of this is flat out misinformation but then that is what you all thrive on is spewing fear.
WMA says
Please be kind enough to correct the misinformation.
Mike Miller says
LOL! You should do the same.